Pneumonia is an infectious disease which causes inflammation of alveoli and airway structure of lungs. Pneumonia causes infant and children morbidity and mortality significantly.. It spreads through droplet infection. Epidemics of pneumonia occur in winter and spring. The sign and symptoms of the pneumonia are fever, cough, stridor, wheezing, tachypnea and respiratory distress. Pneumonia is transmitted through coughing and sneezing via air-borne droplets. Risk factors of pneumonia are less socio economic status, indoor crowding, indoor pollution, and contact with the persons having acute respiratory illness, poor access to health facilities and lower maternal education status.
A case-control study for duration of 4 months (December 2016 to March 2017) was performed in tertiary care hospital Lahore. Target population was the children 2- 59 months of age admitted in Pediatrics and Accident and Emergency Department in tertiary care hospital Lahore. Children 2-59 months of age meeting the case definitions admitted in the Tertiary Care Hospital Lahore. Children meeting the control criteria were selected as control visiting the Tertiary Care Hospital Lahore and children’s guardians who were willing to participate in the study were enrolled. Sampling was done by using convenience sampling techniques and sample size was 162 cases and 162 controls. Data was obtained by face to face interview with child’s guardian. A detail questionnaire regarding various risk factors was filled after taking written consent from the child’s guardian. Data was analyzed by using SPSS software with 95% confidence interval. Chi square test was used to compare the impact of various predictors on prevalence of pneumonia and odds ratios was calculated using logistic regression test at a significance level of 95%.
Summary
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Many risk factors were significantly associated with severe pneumonia among children 2-59 months of age like low socio economic conditions, low maternal and parental education, contact with the member having upper respiratory tract infection, having contact with member suffering from URTI, hospitalization due to diarrheal illness and being underweight were found strongly associated with severe pneumonia (having odds ratios more than 1) among children 2-59 months of ages in this study.
Health education should be given to promote exclusive breast feeding. Awareness campaign should be started to give awareness on the importance of vaccination programmes. Government should provide more health care facilities. People should be encouraged to involve themselves in income generating activities in order to reduce the poverty levels.